Carried out jointly by EY and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), The Attractiveness of World-Class Business Districts is the world’s first survey of the appeal of international business districts and the trends affecting them. The study is based upon a global survey of users and property professionals, complemented by extensive quantitative, objective and comparable metrics.

The report highlights how expectations are changing around the environment that business districts must provide to remain competitive. In the past, the availability of a large amount of top-quality commercial space would have been enough to attract international corporate tenants. Today, however, the single-use business district — deserted after the end of the working day — is no longer an attractive proposition. Our research shows that, first and foremost, businesses want offices in locations with access to skills and talent. To attract this talent, business districts must create a live-work-play environment.